Aeropro Cz S R O A240 and Piper PA 28 accident near Chandler, Arizona, May 11, 2018
On May 11, 2018 at about 3:00 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Aeropro Cz S R O A240 (N481B) and Piper PA 28 (N4121T), were involved in the same accident near Chandler, Arizona (Chandler Muni airport). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The other pilot’s failure to stop and yield to the airplane taxiing on the taxiway, which resulted in a ground collision.
The pilot’s failure to stop and yield to the airplane taxiing on the taxiway, which resulted in a ground collision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 2018 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Chandler, Arizona · Chandler Muni · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Aeropro Cz S R O A240, built 2016 · all A240s on the register
- Registration
- N481B · registry record · serial 47816
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA 28 161, built 1996 · all PA 28s on the register
- Registration
- N4121T · registry record · serial 2842017
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Aeropro Cz S R O A240 final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot in the low-wing airplane, he was cleared by ground control to taxi to runway 22R via "Alpha and November." Taxiway Alpha runs parallel to runway 22R. The pilot approached taxiway Alpha via taxiway Mike, and before entering the intersection of taxiways Alpha and Mike, he "looked in all directions for aircraft" and then proceeded to turn left onto taxiway Alpha without stopping. His airplane's right wing collided with the left side of another airplane already taxiing via Alpha to 22R. He asserted that the other airplane was moving very fast when the collision occurred. His airplane sustained substantial damage to the right aileron. According to the student pilot in the high-wing airplane, he received clearance from ground control to taxi to runway 22R via "Alpha and November." He recalled that he was established on Alpha and heading toward 22R with his landing lights on. He saw the low-wing airplane approaching the intersection of taxiway Alpha and Mike from the nonmovement area. He reported that the low-wing airplane turned left onto taxiway Alpha without stopping. The low-wing airplane's right wing collided with the left side of his airplane. His airplane sustained damage to the left-wing lift strut, the left-wing support struts, and the windscreen. Both pilots reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with their airplanes that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA 28 final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot in the low-wing airplane, he was cleared by ground control to taxi to runway 22R via "Alpha and November." Taxiway Alpha runs parallel to runway 22R. The pilot approached taxiway Alpha via taxiway Mike, and before entering the intersection of taxiways Alpha and Mike, he "looked in all directions for aircraft" and then proceeded to turn left onto taxiway Alpha without stopping. His airplane's right wing collided with the left side of another airplane already taxiing via Alpha to 22R. He asserted that the other airplane was moving very fast when the collision occurred. His airplane sustained substantial damage to the right aileron. According to the student pilot in the high-wing airplane, he received clearance from ground control to taxi to runway 22R via "Alpha and November." He recalled that he was established on Alpha and heading toward 22R with his landing lights on. He saw the low-wing airplane approaching the intersection of taxiway Alpha and Mike from the nonmovement area. He reported that the low-wing airplane turned left onto taxiway Alpha without stopping. The low-wing airplane's right wing collided with the left side of his airplane. His airplane sustained damage to the left-wing lift strut, the left-wing support struts, and the windscreen. Both pilots reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with their airplanes that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record for the Aeropro Cz S R O A240 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during taxi
- Ground collision during taxi defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot of other aircraft
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 45 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 24 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 232 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,235 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 232 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CHD Chandler AZ at 3:00 pm
- Destination: CHD Chandler AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.76 inHg
- Observation at 2:47 pm from KCHD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Piper PA 28 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during taxi
- Ground collision during taxi defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 68 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 27 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 13, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,672 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 14, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,440 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 5,008 hours total
- Operator: Chandler Air Service INC.
The flight
- Departed from: CHD Chandler AZ at 3:00 pm
- Destination: E60 Eloy AZ
- Flight plan: none
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA18CA275.